Hard to go against the Bombers and Fightin' Phils..........But Rays might be the sleepers to win it all......Twins, Gigantes, Rangers will be tough

The 2010 Major League Baseball Playoffs are here with few surprises. Yanks and Phillies are in as expected with surprises in Redlegs, Rangers, and Gigantes. The one key element in baseball is that Pitching and Defense wins you rings. All these teams have those elements and all of them are about to find out at what level are those elements. Good enough to get in and compete or good enough to take home the big one.

Only time will tell as here are The BLUEDUDE'S Predictions for the 2010 MLB Playoffs:

DIVISIONAL

1. REDLEGS VS PHILS: Just looking at this series experience comes to the forefront. Dusty's Boys have played well and lead the NL Central most of the season holding off A LaRussa Cardinal team that was somewhat disappointing. The Reds are pretty balanced with good pitching and defense and have that one guy in JOEY VOTTO that can get hot and carry you.
Phils are just so consistent in what they do and have been doing under Manager Charlie Manuel, it will be hard to root against them. They Have the Best Pitcher in the Playoffs in DOC HALLADAY and the most experience outside of the BOMBERS. This series will be a lot closer than you think.
WINNER: FIGHTIN' PHILS

2. BRAVES VS GIGANTES: Here we go again with ATL and the MLB Playoffs. One thing about this group is that it is totally different than the Perennial NL East Champs of the past. Braves can pitch it and catch it and have sped in key places. And Skipper Cox is one of the best and has seen it all you would think.
Gigantes have a strong starting rotation led by a sometimes struggling Tim "THE MULLETT" LINCECUM. THEY to have a good one in Mr. Bruce Bochy. They are a blue-collar group offensively that keeps coming that kinda mirrors the skipper managing style. Pitch to Pitch, hit to hit, play to play. This is a PICK'EM
WINNER: BRAVES

3. YANKEES VS TWINKIES: If the Yanks had to pick who they would rather play in the AL Divisional they wouldn't say TWINS first. This is a bad matchup for the BOMBERS I think. The one thing that will help them out is that Big Hitter and former AL MVP 1B Justin Morneau is out. Yanks got real lucky for real. This will probably fools gold for the Yanks though because the Twins played without Morneau for a good portion of the season. They are a scrappy bunch that has that "NEVER SAY DIE " ATTITUDE From Captain of the ship Gardenhire.
Yanks have all what an MLB team needs starting with leadership in #2 and Skip Girardi. They will be a tough out and need to get good starting to get to that lights out deep bullpen. Offensively the sleeper is 2B CANO. If they get timely hitting and pitching , Yanks will roll to the TROPHY. BELIEVE THAT.
WINNER: YANKS

4. RAYS VS RANGERS: I think the most even series and most exciting potentially to be a classic. Rays have been here before and fear no one team. Look at the division they play in. Red Sox and Yankees they play 18 times each. No Fear Factor in these guys and they have a Big Time Stars in Longoria and Price who are household names in the baseball world.
Manager Ron Washington has done an excellent job with this Rangers group who is just as talented as the Rays. The Rangers have to Limit the Big Innings and keep all that speed off the bases for the Rays who will nickel and dime you to death until the flood gates open.
WINNER: RAYS

LCS

5. PHILS AND BRAVES: The NL East rivals that know each other all to well. I think it will come down to who is playing the best at the time. The teams mirror each other and the Braves picked it up at the end of the season to get in the Playoffs. The Phils overall experience will probably be too much for the Braves in the end. HOWARD, UTLEY, JROLL, HOLLIDAY etc. will be too much for the somewhat young Braves
WINNER: PHILLIES

6. YANKS AND RAYS: THE NEW AL EAST RIVALRY. Rays relish going against the Yanks and Red Sox and will not want it any other way. The Yanks better be playing their A GAME in this series to stage off the RAYS. RAYS know these guys and want to be these guys even if the RAYS get 900 people for their home games lol. They RAYS Players want that trophy, management wants the trophy, and if they get the trophy, they just might get NEW DIGS in TAMPA. Wouldn't that be nice for THE Tampa/ST. PETE area FANS.
WINNER: YANKS


WORLD SERIES

7. PHILLIES AND YANKS: Here we go again with a rematch at a high level. The Phils let the Yanks off the hook last time and nothing like getting a 2nd crack at the team everyone hates. The PHILS want this matchup pretty bad and the Yankees at this point smell #28. DAMN. I think this is the last run for the PHILS and The Yanks core of Posada, Rivera, Jeter, and Pettite are nearing the END of one of the best runs in recent memory. This is tough one and will go to the wire.


WORLD CHAMPIONS..................HMMMMMMMMMMMMM............THE BRONX ZOO PUTS UP #28 HOLLA